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# Report Says 220 Million Christians Worldwide Face Persecution
- URL: https://uoj.news/news/report-says-220-million-christians-worldwide-face-persecution/
- Published: 2026-10-28T17:00:44.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-28T17:00:44.000Z
- Description: A new international report warns that approximately 220 million Christians face persecution, with violence and discrimination threatening historic Christian communities across three continents.
- Author: Tobias Straney
- Tags: #Category: News, Persecution of Christians, Persecution of the Church, Violence towards Christians

**TAUNUS, GERMANY —** Approximately 220 million Christians [face persecution](https://tribunechretienne.com/synthese-220-millions-de-chretiens-exposes-a-la-persecution-comment-comprendre-le-rapport-alarmant-de-laide-a-leglise-en-detresse/) and discrimination worldwide, with conditions worsening in 55% of the 18 countries examined in a new report by Aid to the Church in Need (ACN).

The report, "Persecuted and Forgotten? 2024–2026," covers the period from August 2024 through June 2026\. It warns that violence, government repression, and religious nationalism threaten not only believers’ safety but also the survival of historic Christian communities.

[![](https://uoj.news/content/images/2026/10/gettyimages-2301101623.webp)On this topicBREAKING: Seven Killed, 34 Wounded in Attack on Greek Orthodox Church in Jordan](https://uoj.news/news/breaking-seven-killed-34-wounded-in-attack-on-greek-orthodox-church-in-jordan/)

Africa remains a major center of violence. In Nigeria, more than one million Christians are among the country’s 3.5 million internally displaced people. In Burkina Faso, jihadist groups control extensive territory, forcing residents to comply with religious restrictions and driving families from their homes. The report also documents attacks on churches and Christian communities in Mozambique and Sudan.

In Asia, Chinese authorities have tightened restrictions on unregistered Christian communities and online religious activity, while Christians in North Korea risk imprisonment for possessing Bibles. India recorded more than 700 acts of anti-Christian violence in 2025, and Pakistan continues to face cases of Christian girls being abducted and forcibly converted.

The report also highlights the declining Christian presence in the Middle East. Syria’s Christian population has fallen by more than 80% since 2011, while Christians in Iraq face discrimination and pressure from armed groups. In Nicaragua, meanwhile, authorities have expelled hundreds of clergy and religious personnel or otherwise forced them into exile since 2018.

ACN emphasizes that the figure of 220 million represents Christians exposed to persecution, not people who have all experienced direct attacks. The report warns that continued violence and displacement could prevent entire communities from passing their faith to future generations.

Previously, the [UOJ reported](https://uoj.news/news/bullet-misses-orthodox-priest-during-attack-on-christian-town-in-syria/) that a bullet missed an Orthodox priest during an attack on a Christian town in Syria.